Euripides, Alcestis
David Kovacs, Ed.

Heracles
Oh dear! I wish I had not found you in mourning, Admetus!

Admetus
With what intent do you utter these words?

Heracles
I shall go to the house of some other guest-friend.

Admetus
No no, my lord! Heaven avert such a misfortune!

Heracles
[540] To mourners the arrival of a guest is vexing.

Admetus
Those who have died are dead: go into the house.

Heracles
But it is disgraceful for guests to be feasted in a house of mourning.

Admetus
The guest-rooms where we will bring you are separate.

Heracles
Let me go and I will be enormously grateful to you.

Admetus
[545] You must not go to any other man's house.

To a servant
Go before this man and open up the guest-quarters away from the main palace; tell those responsible to provide an abundance of food. And be sure to close fast the doors of the courtyard. For it is not right for banqueters [550] to hear the sounds of mourning or for guests to be upset.The servant goes into the palace, followed by Heracles.

Chorus-Leader
What are you doing? Faced with such misfortune, Admetus, do you have the stomach to entertain guests? Why are you so foolish?

Admetus
Yet if I had driven from my house and city a friend who had just arrived, would you have praised me more? [555] No, indeed, since my misfortune would have been in no way lessened, and I would have been less hospitable. And in addition to my ills we would have the further ill that my house would be called a spurner of guests. I myself find in this man the best of hosts [560] whenever I go to thirsty Argos.

Chorus-Leader
Why then did you conceal your present plight when, as you say yourself, he has come as a friend?

Admetus
He would never have consented to enter the house if he had known anything of my sorrow. [565] And no doubt someone will think that in doing this I am being foolish and will not approve of me. But my house does not know how to reject or dishonor guests.Exit Admetus into the palace.